All is Fair in Love and War
by oujirou-kinya
Summary: battousai's killing rich families. he kills kaoru's family, leaving only her and yahiko. kaoru sets out on her own to find revenge. she falls for a man who saves her from some bandits...only thing is that he was the killer of her family. S/K/K then S/M
1. The Beginning

ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR  
  
KK: Hey, minna-san!! WUDUPZ?! Anyway, oujirou and I combined our brains 2ge+ha 2 give you an RK fic, giving you...oujirou-kinya!! This RK fic is going to be our first one together so if you have any questions about this fic, direct your questions towards oujirou okay? Not me, because I am a very busy woman!   
  
Oujirou: NANI? Why me?!? I'm older than you!! Shouldn't I get more homework than you?!  
  
KK: Eh.........WOW, look at the time!! I have to go now!! Ja!! ::runs away::  
  
Oujirou: Hey, YOU!!! Come back here!! HEY!! SHIMATTA!! ::sigh:: Anyway, since kotani - kinya already left, I guess I better do the disclaimer crap...alright, the Kenshin-gumi does NOT belong 2 me or KK. We're just...BORROWING them...yes...::cough cough:: BORROWING...  
  
  
THE BEGINNING  
  
Three men were sitting at a table in an abandoned house. They all carried swords that were tainted with fresh blood. One man had wild crimson red hair tied into a high ponytail. Some of the loose strands of hair were draped across the side of his face. He had cold amber eyes which hardly showed any emotions. There were two other men sitting beside him. One had messy raven black hair with cold piercing eyes, and the other had jet black hair with four hair strands arranged in front of his face like antennae.  
  
"So, who's next on our rich-bitch-family-list, Battousai?" the man with the raven black hair asked.  
  
"It's at a dojo," replied the red haired man, "the Kamiya Dojo..."  
  
~Time Passing~  
  
"KAACHAN!! TOUCHAN!!" a teenage girl with midnight blue hair cried, as her father fell lifelessly to the ground.  
  
The mother's head turned towards the girl.  
  
"Kaoru...run...onegai...run, and never look back...take Yahiko with you...onegai...before the men g-"   
  
She was cut off by the sound of a sword stabbing her through the neck.   
  
  
***  
  
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  
  
Kaoru Kamiya woke up screaming, and broke out in wild cold sweat. That was the third time that week that she had dreamt the same nightmare over and over again.   
  
"Kaoru-sama!!" a servant girl broke into Kaoru's room frantically to check if her master was alright.  
  
"I'm fine, Tokio. I'm fine...I just..." Kaoru breathed heavily.  
  
"Had that dream again, Kaoru-sama?" Tokio asked kindly.  
  
Kaoru nodded silently, biting her lip. She didn't know if it was just a simple nightmare, or a premonition. Tokio sighed and came over to comfort her friend.  
  
"Kaoru, maybe you should see the Genzai-sama for his advice." she suggested.  
  
"Hai...I supposed you're right..." Kaoru replied slowly, as she got out of her bed to change into her clothes.  
  
At breakfast...  
  
"Kaoru!!" her mother cried, "what happened to you, dear child?! Your face is a ghastly white! Have you been having those dreams again? I think you need to see Genzai-dono! We'll go after breakfast!"  
  
"Hai...kaachan..." Kaoru mumbled.  
  
"Hey, BUSU! You look like you have skin cancer! Yahiko laughed.  
  
"Shut up, Yahiko! As we all know, skin cancer would only improve your looks!!!" Kaoru retorted.  
  
"Shut up, BUSU!!" Yahiko yelled, after taking a long time to think of a good comeback, but couldn't think of one.  
  
Tokio chuckled quietly to herself. Every morning during this week, the same routine was done over and over again. Two siblings quarreled over each other everyday. 'Oh well...' she thought to herself, 'I better go buy some tofu and fish for tonight's dinner.' She got up and left the table without a word.   
  
  
That night...  
  
Everyone was sleeping soundly on their futons. Kaoru was tossing and turning. She was having that dream again.   
  
"Kaachan...Touchan..." Kaoru whimpered in her sleep, as the door slid open, revealing a young woman with navy blue hair in a long braid down her back.  
  
She came over to check on her owner and friend, who was tossing and turning all night. She set the candle down, and kneeled beside her tortured friend.  
  
"Poor Kaoru-sama..." she whispered, stroking Kaoru's hair, "she must be pained even in her sleep..."  
  
She then kissed the top of her head in a friendly gesture or peace, then left the room silently.  
  
Kaoru peeped through into the darkness of her room. The only light she had was the light from the moon which shone dimly through the panels of her door. She was about to go back to her world of slumber when she felt it. She felt as if someone was watching...waiting. She reached under her futon to reveal a bokken. She then crept to the door, and went outside to find out what it was. Misao also sensed it, and crept outside too. She saw Kaoru and nodded to her. They both leapt behind a bush without making it move.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
  
"LET GO OF HER, BASTARD!!!"  
  
"..."  
  
*CRACK*  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! ONEGAI!! DON'T HURT ME!!"  
  
Kaoru froze. Those were the voices of her mother and father. She didn't recognize who the other voice belonged to, but she was sure that he was a good fighter from sensing his qi.   
  
"C'mon!" Misao whispered urgently, bringing Kaoru back onto earth, "we've got to save your okaasan!!"  
  
"H-Hai..." Kaoru snapped back into reality, and sprinted forward.  
  
Misao did the same, except that she had crashed into a figure with messy raven coloured hair. Misao got up dizzily, and checked the guy out. 'Whoa!' she thought to herself, 'he's gorgeous...'   
  
"Kaoru! You go ahead! I'll try to get this one myself! GO!" Misao shouted to Kaoru, taking out her kunais.  
  
Kaoru didn't need to be told twice. She was off and well running as soon as Misao shouted her name.   
  
"AHHHHHHHHH!! PLEASE LEAVE OUR FAMILY ALONE!! WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING!!! ONEGAI!! AHHH!!"  
  
Kaoru pumped and forced her legs to cooperate with the speed of her beating heart. She felt the adrenaline rush through her veins like fire when she heard her mother's voice become frantic.  
  
"KAACHAN!!" she yelled, as she whapped the intruder on the back of his head with her bokken, snapping it in half.  
  
"NANI?!" she yelped at the sight of her broken bokken.  
  
The intruder turned and glared at her...no...more like...study her. Kaoru's breath caught in her throat. IT WAS THE GUY FROM HER DREAM!! At the same time, Battousai's breath was also caught in his throat. He had never seen such beauty from a woman who also fought. Her midnight blue shone like a metallic blue under the moonlight, accentuating her complexions. Battousai felt his heart skip a beat, before covering his weakness up with a hard look. Kaoru gasped and took a step back. 'THIS IS THE GUY WHO IS THE MURDERER OF YOUR PARENTS!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! KILL HIM!!' Kaoru's inner conscience screamed at her, but she would not listen. Her feet were bind to the ground like the roots of a tree. She looked behind him, and found her mother holding her father's dead body, crying for him to "come back" and "wake up", but they both clearly knew that he was bound to sleep forever. Her eyes became teary at the sight of this. How angry she became!! The anger flared through her body, giving her a dangerous aura about her. She threw the pieces of her bokken aside and ran forward to her parents.  
  
"Kaachan..." she whispered, as she approached her, kneeling down beside her mourning mother.  
  
"Who are you?" her mother asked fearfully, "don't come near us!! We have nothing to do with you!! GO AWAY!!!"   
  
"Kaachan? It's me, Kaoru...your daughter..." Kaoru smiled painfully, and held out a reassuring hand.  
  
"AHHHH!! GET AWAY FROM US!! WE HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG!! ONEGAI!!" Kaoru's mother clutched tightly onto the haori of her dead husband, cowering from her own daughter.  
  
Kaoru's hand dropped. She sighed in defeat and stood up. 'Don't cry...don't cry, Kaoru. You can get through this! Don't show the man your weakness. Don't cry! Kami, don't cry! Be strong!' Kaoru kept telling herself, but no matter how much she encouraged herself, nothing could cover up all the emotions running through her sapphire eyes. She took in a shaky breath, and turned around to face the man who was responsible for her the death of her father. His heart clenched painfully at the sight of her eyes. They seemed so sad and lonely. He wanted to comfort her, and stop this killing...but then he remembered about his dark past, and why he was here of all places. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he made a quick slashing motion with his sakaba, and Kaoru's mother was upon the ground bleeding dangerously. Then a miracle happened...her memory came flooding back in the hour of her death.  
  
"Kaoru...run...onegai...run, and never look back...take Yahiko with you...onegai...before the man g-"  
  
She was cut off by the sound of a sword stabbing her through the neck. Kaoru gasped. She had never experienced such pain and anger in her life.   
  
"Kisama..." she growled treacherously, "you will pay dearly for that..."  
  
She picked up a jagged edged stone, and walked slowly towards him. She looked back at her parents before making her attack. Dead-bloody-gone-forever. She balled her hand into a fist, drawing out blood from the sharp stone her was holding. She then raised it above her head, and with one swift motion, she carved an 'X' on the man's left cheek. Battousai did not bother to block or stop her attack. He did not intend to kill her either. He deserved it. The innocent girl was being punished for doing nothing...yet she had experienced so much pain at a young age. He looked into her crushed emotional face before turning around and walking away. 'The faster I walk away from her, the less pain I will feel...' he thought to himself. Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. She collapsed into a puddle of tears, and let her emotions run wild.  
  
"WHY!?!" she screamed particularly at no one, "WHY ME?!?! WHY ME!?!? WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS TORTURE?!!?"  
  
"Nothing..." Battousai whispered so low so that she could not hear, "absolutely nothing...and I am very sorry for that, de gozaru yo...Kaoru..."  
  
  
  
KK: So how did you like it?! It's my first attempt at an RK fic!! I hoped you liked it!! Anyway, I better go do my homework!! Ja!!  
  
Oujirou: Wow...::wipes tears from eyes::...that was so sad...anyway, I'll be doing the second chap!! So watch out people!! 


	2. A Helping Hand

ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR  
  
BG (bReAkAh gUrL): GOMEN NASAI MINNA!! I had a lot of homework so I couldn't update for a long time!! GOMEN!! Me and Oujirou are very, very, VERY sorry for the delay!! I'm doing this chap because Oujirou is too busy with his "hoomuwaaku ("homework" in Japanese)"  
  
  
A HELPING HAND  
  
"JOU-CHAN00000!!!!" a spiky browned-haired tall young man yelled to a girl no more than the age of twenty, "I'M GOING TO GO BUY TOFU FOR TONIGHT'S DINNER, OKAY???"  
  
"HA!! GOOD ONE!! YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY THAT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU, ON GAMBLING, SANO!!!" the girl shouted back from inside the dojo.  
  
He grinned sheepishly. She just knew him too well. Ever since he had discovered her tragic past, he moved into the dojo with her and her brother to take care of them.  
  
"DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE STILL GIVING ME THE MONEY, JOU-CHAN!?" Sano yelled back.  
  
A giggle was heard from inside the dojo. Kaoru came out with a little bundle of money smiling happily. Sano's heart skipped a beat as he saw her beautiful smile. He had fallen in love with her the first moment he had laid eyes on her. She still looked the same as she did one year ago, except that her body and her looks had matured quite a bit. She had longer midnight blue hair cascading down her back in a high ponytail than she did a year before. Wives were jealous of her because all their husbands laid an eye on her when she walked into any part of the town.  
  
"Hai, Sano...and REMEMBER!!! NO GAMBLING OR DRINKING!!!" Kaoru said warningly before throwing the bundle into his hands, and walking back into the dojo.  
  
"Hai, OKAASAANNNNN!!" Sango mocked before marching away to the entrance of the dojo.  
  
Kaoru looked back at Sano and shook her head, smiling. Before Sano left the dojo, Yahiko appeared before him with a serious look in his eyes.  
  
"Seriously, don't gamble or drink!! I don't want to live another day with Busu cooking dinner!!" Yahiko complained.   
  
"I HEARD THAT YAHIKO-CHAN!!" Kaoru yelled from inside the house.  
  
"DON'T CALL ME CHAN!!!!" Yahiko yelled after his sister, as he raced up the steps to the dojo to prepare another word fight with his sister...again...just like the old days.  
  
Sano shook his head and grinned, heading for the supermarket. 'Normal brothers and sisters usually don't fight...but then again...who said that Yahiko and Kaoru were normal?" Sano laughed at that thought. He strutted along the city merrily. He was so lucky to have Kaoru by his side...and Yahiko too, even though he wasn't sure if Kaoru thought of him as a friend or more. Oh well. He will confess to her one day...when the time is right.  
  
"Oi, Tae!! I want some tofu, green onions, and dashi (type of fish used to make miso soup) for tonight's dinner!" Sano said to the owner of the stand.  
  
"That will be five yens, please! Arigato, and here you go, Sano!" Tae handed Sano the contents that he ordered, and went to serve the next customer in line.  
  
Sano muttered a thanks and headed back home...to Kaoru. When he arrived he was greeted by Yahiko's relieved voice.   
  
"GOOD NEWS, BUSU! SANO'S BACK WITH DINNER!!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO COOK!!! YEAH!! ALRIGHT!!!!" Yahiko whooped around the dojo yelling happily.  
  
"Yahiko-CHAN, my cooking is not THAT bad!" Kaoru scolded, as she shook a pair of chopsticks at him.  
  
"Jou-chan, Yahiko." Sano addressed each of them with a slight nod, and handed the dinner to Kaoru.  
  
"Arigato, Sano. Now, both of you go wash up while I prepare the rice and...my special miso soup!!" Kaoru said cheerfully.  
  
Yahiko and Sano both looked at each other uncertainly, as they both started for the shower tub.  
  
"The only reason why Busu's miso soup is so special is because it can poison you to death!" Yahiko whispered terrifyingly.  
  
"I HEARD THAT!!!" a yell erupted the silence.  
  
Yahiko looked at Sano and sprinted off to his room saying, "SANO SAID THAT!!!"  
  
"NANI?! I DID NOT!!! COME HERE YOU LITTLE BRAT!!" Sano ran after Yahiko.  
  
The midnight blue-haired woman sighed, as she made her way to the kitchen, smelling that something was slightly burnt. When she opened the door cautiously, she saw that the pot containing the rice was caught on fire.  
  
"ACK!" she yelped, as she took a bowl of water, and lashed out at the flames that were licking at the burning pot.   
  
The fire died down and Kaoru flipped open the lid of the pot with the hem of her apron. 'The rice isn't that bad...' Kaoru thought, 'just a little burned...now for my miso soup...' She boiled four cups of water and dashi in the pot. Then she chopped the tofu into small little cubes, and added to the pot of boiling water, and waited for three minutes to let them simmer. She then added the miso and let it dissolve completely. What Kaoru forgot to do was that she didn't take the pot out of the heat before she sliced the two stalks of green onions. She cooked the green onions for about ten minutes, before adding them into the combination.   
  
"Hm...I wonder why the miso soup smell that strong and good?" Kaoru wondered out loud, "OH MY KAMI!! I FORGOT TO TAKE THE POT OUT OF THE HEAT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE I CHOPPED THE ONIONS!! ACK!! STUPID ME! STUPID ME!!" Kaoru cursed and slapped herself a few times on the forehead.  
  
She sighed and slumped to the ground in fatigue. She wished that her whole family was still here to laugh at the funny times like this. She stared into the flames of red, orange, and yellow. The red flames reminded her of someone...someone she hate very much...the person who took her happiness away from her...the hitokiri...Battousai. She continued to stare at the crimson flames, as an image of him appeared, blurrily dancing with the flames. Kaoru decided to do something, something that would affect her life...as well as Sano's and Yahiko's...  
  
  
***  
  
"Oi, Yahiko...can you smell something that is burnt?" Sano sniffed the air cautiously, hoping that the dojo wasn't on fire.  
  
"Yeah...I smell it too, but it's probably Busu's cooking...you know..." Yahiko rolled his eyes and laughed.  
  
However, Sano remained silent. He hated it when Yahiko made fun of his own sister's cooking. Not to mention that he probably couldn't cook better than she did.  
  
"Sano, man? You there?" Yahiko asked, waving his hand in front of his face.  
  
"Huh? Uh yeah...gomen...just dozed off...anyway, we better get out of this tub... I think dinner's soon! And man, am I hungry!!" Sano stood up and grabbed a towel to cover himself, as he walked into a stall to change.  
  
  
***  
  
"Jou-chan?" Sano called out into the empty room, "Jou-chan, you there?"  
  
Kaoru was jerked out of her thoughts, as she heard Sano's voice calling from another room.  
  
"I'm right here, Sano!!! Just let me finish up!!" Kaoru yelled back, and stood up abruptly.  
  
Kaoru had made up her mind. She was going to go after Battousai, and avenge her parent's deaths...even if it meant losing her own...Yahiko would follow the same tradition if she died. Kaoru poured the overcooked miso soup into three separate smaller bowls, and took them into the room, and did the same with the burnt rice. Sano was already seated at the table, ready to eat. Yahiko came in a bit later with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
"Well, since you both are still alive, I guess that the food is edible!" Yahiko teased Kaoru.  
  
Kaoru frowned, but let the comment fly by anyway. She cleared her throat to get both of their attention. Sano looked up.  
  
"I've been thinking a lot lately...about Okaasan and Otousan..." she spoke quietly.  
  
Yahiko froze and nodded stiffly whenever his sister mentioned something about their parents.   
  
"I was wondering about the man who had killed them...the hitokiri...and my proposal is that tomorrow morning, I am setting out to find him and avenge my parents' deaths." she spoke with solemnity, as Sano and Yahiko stared at her with shock.  
  
  
  
BG: Yeah!! It's going to be Saturday tomorrow!! I can update another chapter probably by the end of Sunday!! Anyway, review and tell me what you think!! Arigato!! 


	3. Author's Note: GOMEN NASAI!

ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR HEY MINNA!! OMG I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY!! I won't be able to update for a while because my computer went screwy n the chapter that I was going to upload for chapter three was deleted!!! AGH!!!! ;___; so right now I'm basically really pissed!! Stupid computer!!! ::kicks CPU:: GRRRRR!! Anyway, I'll try to rewrite the chapter again, and post it up ASAP!! Thanks for your time!! Got a lot of writing to do!! Ja!!  
  
P.S. I'll give you a little hint on what the next chapter about.Kaoru sets out.leaving behind her friends, family, and a broken-hearted Sano. Filled with angst!! If you're a person who likes Sano/Kaoru, then I suggest you bring a tissue box with you LOL!! Anyway, I have to write up the new chapter now! JA NE!!! ::waves crazily::  
  
Ja, Silver ichigo dust and oujirou 


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